Freedom of Information

Freedom of information (FOI) laws promote access to information held by agencies and ministers. You may request access to information under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act) to documents we hold.

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How to make a Freedom of Information request to the DVSC

The FOI Act gives any person the right to:

  • access copies of documents (except exempt documents) we hold;
  • ask for information we hold about you to be changed or annotated if it is incomplete, out of date, incorrect or misleading; and
  • seek a review of our decision not to allow you access to a document or not to amend your personal record.

Requests made under the FOI Act must be in writing and:

  • state that they are an application for the purposes of the FOI Act;
  • provide detail about the document that will allow us to identify it; and
  • specify how we can provide you with a decision of notices in relation to the FOI request.

Email your request to foi@dvsc.gov.au or post it to Defence and Veterans' Service Commission, PO Box 6500, Canberra ACT 2600.

 

What you can expect from us

Within 14 days of receiving your FOI request, we will acknowledge your request.

We will give you a decision within 30 days of receiving your request unless an extension of time applies. An extension of time may apply if:

  • you have agreed to an extension. We may write to seek your agreement to further extend the processing time by up to 30 days; or
  • the document contains a third party's information. If a document contains a third party's information we will need to consult them. We will notify you of our intention to consult. When consultation occurs, the processing time is extended by another 30 days.

If an FOI request relates to the functions of another entity, we will seek to transfer the request. If the agency agrees to the transfer, we will notify you of the details and who will be processing the request. If agreement is not reached, we will continue to process or assist you to redirect the request.

Under the FOI Act, information can be deleted in part or in full if it is found to be irrelevant or exempt. Irrelevant information may include topics to which you did not request access. Exempt information may include matters of national security, deliberative matter or Cabinet documents. We will provide you with a statement of reasons for the use of exemptions in our decision.

 

Fees and charges

There is currently no application fee for a request.

We do not charge to process a request when you are requesting only your personal information. Charges may apply to other requests under the FOI Act and the Freedom of Information (Charges) Regulations 2019.

If your request is liable for any charges, you will receive an estimate of the applicable charges. You will have a right to reply to agree or contend the estimate, or withdraw the request.

 

If you disagree with our decision

When we have made a decision, we will give you information about your review rights.

You can ask for the following decisions to be reviewed:

  • a decision to refuse access to all or part of the requested documents, or if we defer giving you access.
  • a decision to impose a charge.

A third party who disagrees with an access grant decision on documents about them can seek a review.

Internal review requests must be made within 30 days of receipt of the decision. They can be made to the DVSC by email to foi@dvsc.gov.au or by post to Defence and Veterans' Service Commission, PO Box 6500, Canberra ACT 2600.

You can request an external review, before or after internal review. The Australian Information Commissioner conducts external reviews. An external review request must be made within 60 days of receiving a decision. More information is available from the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner.

 

Freedom of Information Disclosure Log

The DVSC publishes information released under section 11A of the FOI Act.

The Disclosure Log requirement does not apply to:

  • personal information about any person if publication of that information would be 'unreasonable';
  • information about the business, commercial, financial or professional affairs of any person if publication of that information would be 'unreasonable';
  • other information covered by a determination made by the Australian Information Commissioner if publication of that information would be 'unreasonable'; and
  • any information if it is not reasonably practicable to publish because of the extent of modifications that would need to be made to delete the information listed in the above dot points

Deletions may be made to the documents in accordance with the exceptions available under the FOI Act.

Disclosures made by the DVSC under the FOI Act will be made available here.

 

Complaints

If you believe we could have done better, you can let us know at foi@dvsc.gov.au or by post to Defence and Veterans' Service Commission, PO Box 6500, Canberra ACT 2600. 

Alternatively, you can make a complaint to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner.

 

Legislation